The family of the 28-year-old woman doctor who allegedly died by suicide in Satara district this month claimed on Thursday that there were discrepancies in the autopsy report and demanded a probe into the case.
The doctor, hailing from Beed district in the Marathwada region of central Maharashtra and posted at a government hospital in Satara, was found dead in a hotel room in Phaltan town on October 23.
“The autopsy report mentioned that the time of death was around 11 p.m. If we were informed about the death around 8 p.m., then when did her death actually take place?” said Prashant Munde, a cousin of the doctor. The post-mortem report mentioned the cause of death as asphyxia, indicating that the doctor had died by suicide.
Custody extended
During the day, a court in Phaltan extended the police custody of the accused – suspended Police Sub-Inspector Gopal Badane and software engineer Prashant Bankar – by two days till November 1.
In a note written on her palm, the doctor had alleged that Mr. Badane raped her on multiple occasions, while Mr. Bankar mentally harassed her.
The public prosecutor appearing for the doctor’s kin sought extension of custody in order to analyse the contents of the laptop recovered from Mr. Bankar, and three pen drives from Mr. Badane’s house.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sushma Andhare visited the doctor’s family at Kavadgaon village and raised some suspicions over the case. “Her brother was not allowed to be present for the autopsy. There was a demand that an in-camera autopsy be done. Does it really take eight hours to register an FIR?” she said.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray also spoke to the family over phone. The party threatened to lead a protest to the Phaltan police station on November 3 if proper investigation is not carried out into the case. Mr. Thackeray also assured the kin of all support in their fight for justice and promised to provide the services of a lawyer practising in the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, State Congress chief Harshvardhan Sapkal criticised Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for giving a “clean chit to the main suspects”. Terming it “unfortunate” and “shameful”, he said, “A young woman from a humble family fighting against all odds became a doctor. She opposed what she felt was unethical and for that she had to pay a price. Mr. Fadnavis visited Phaltan and gave a ‘clean chit’ to the culprits without holding them accountable.”
Speaking after inaugurating development works at Phaltan on October 26, the Chief Minister, who also handles the Home portfolio, had said, “Former MP Ranjitsinh Naik Nimbalkar and local MLA Sachin Patil’s names were linked to the case. If I had an iota of doubt, I would have cancelled my visit.”
Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve had accused Mr. Nimbalkar of pressuring the doctor in the past.
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Published – October 31, 2025 02:08 am IST
